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UPDATE 1/5::Fairfax Libraries Cull Classics...

UPDATE: The library system has gotten a blast of criticism for the policies outlined in the article, but it disputes the sweep of changes portrayed in it. A spokeswoman said the system has available plenty of copies of the books mentioned, that it is trying to reduce the number of older, less-used texts, not do away with them. Its view of the practice and of the coverage is at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/classics.htm.
/bob samsot

According to this article from today's Metro section administrators with Fairfax County Public Library system have taken an aggressive stance on weeding out seldom read materials from library stacks. Popular new titles are replacing books long regarded as classics of literature to meet public demand.

Some librarians reason that the library should serve the public by giving us what we want and that the classics won't be lost since many of them are available for free on the world wide web. Others say that libraries have a responsibility to archive great works even if they are unpopular today.